Lisa Calderón secures progressive backing in Denver mayoral race

Why it matters: Thanks to their backing, Calderón can now lay claim to being the progressive candidate — and the collective support from the far-left groups signals growing momentum for her candidacy.

What they're saying: "We don't need to be competing against each other at this point, we need to be coalescing in a common purpose," Calderón said Friday during a press conference about other progressive mayoral candidates.

• She opposes Referred Measure 2O, and said creating a task force with people who want to see open spaces and build affordable housing would be among her first moves as mayor.

Zoom in: Colorado Working Families Party state director Wendy Howell said they threw their support behind Calderón because she will put people first before corporations or lobbyists — a key component of progressive politics.

• "She is a tireless advocate for regular people in Denver," Howell said. "I think that's exactly what we need here."
• Katie Blakey of Denver DSA said the endorsement is an effort to unify left-leaning organizations in the city around socialist values, which Blakey said focus on "uplifting the working class in Denver."
• Other values include seeing housing as a human right, ending the city's encampment sweeps, supporting unions and repealing the state's rent control ban.

Between the lines: Calderón anointment snubs other high-profile candidates, including state Rep. Leslie Herod and activist Ean Thomas Tafoya, who are running as progressive champions.

• Calderón invited other progressive candidates to support her, though she didn't name any specific candidates.
• Her supporters touted her tying Kelly Brough and Mike Johnston with 5% support among candidates in a poll conducted last month by SurveyUSA and commissioned by several local media outlets.

Of note: She is also backed by progressive candidates running for Denver City Council, including Tiffany Caudill, Shannon Hoffman and Sarah Parady.

• The three attended Friday's event and are looking to join incumbent Councilmember Candi CdeBaca in shifting the council from a moderate political body to a more progressive one.